


Invisible Fingerprints

by TheStoriesTheyTold



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Romance, Talking, a little smut, set post 6B
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2019-03-11 18:42:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13530288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheStoriesTheyTold/pseuds/TheStoriesTheyTold
Summary: “There is nothing more freeing than waking up in the arms of the one you love, their invisible fingerprints covering your body and soul.”orRumple reflects on some of his decisions as he and Belle talk





	Invisible Fingerprints

The wind outside howled again, sending the tree branches dancing and creating a spectacular show of shadows against the skin of Belle’s bare back. The blanket was bunched up at her waist, her long hair a messy halo, hopelessly tangled from his fingers. She’d fallen asleep almost before her head had hit the pillow, a sated smile curling about her lips. Gold’s eyes burned with tears of joy and disbelief as his body hummed in pleasure, invisible fingerprints covering his skin. He was careful not to move an inch as he admired her ethereal beauty, lest he unintentionally wake his wife.

His _wife_. In every sense of the word. When their son had come back to them as an angry young man, broken and so very lost, something inside of Gold had snapped into place. Gideon had needed him, not his power nor his reputation, just his love. And unexpectedly, so had Belle. She’d leaned on him throughout those trying days, wounded and angry and hopeless. She was a beacon of light and beauty, to see her so defeated had finally woken him up. Together, they had worked to save their son, and with her standing beside him—he’d finally made the right choice. A happy beginning. Their happy beginning.

“I love you.” It didn’t seem like enough, a whispered promise into the still darkness of their bedroom. With Belle’s gentle snores against the pillow next to him, Gideon’s quiet breathing crackling over the baby monitor. How drastically his life had changed, from the roaring and all consuming darkness, to this—so much light and love he could hardly stand it. Everything he wanted and absolutely nothing he deserved. _Never again_ , Gold swore silently. Never again would he push her away or hide from her. Belle had granted him her forgiveness and that was not to be taken lightly. From now on, they were a team. Together in all things.

There was a quiet little huff as Belle snuffled in her sleep and rubbed her face against the skin of his chest, eyelashes fluttering open. Dazed blue eyes scanned around the room, sleepy and unseeing until she focused on him. “Rumple?”

“Go back to bed, sweetheart. Gideon is still sleeping in his crib and it’s late.” Gold pressed a kiss to her head and Belle hummed softly, leaning over to kiss his heart. Her face tilted up and she pressed another, longer, kiss to the mark she’d left earlier, her lips curving into a smile. Unable to resist, Gold snaked his fingers into her hair and tugged until their lips brushed softly and Belle moaned.

“Why are you awake?” She whispered once they parted, her eyes clearer and far more alert. Gold frowned at that.

“I’m the Dark One, Belle. I don’t sleep very often and when I do, it’s not for very long.” Her brow had furrowed and Gold leaned over to kiss it away, grinning at her little purr of contentment. “But just because I can’t sleep doesn’t mean you should stay awake with me. Go back to sleep, sweetheart.”

Shaking her head, Belle rose up to her knees, the blanket falling away to reveal her to him. He needn’t have looked, he _shouldn’t_ have looked, but gods help him—she was perfection, creamy skin and gentle curves, tumbling chestnut tresses and bright blue eyes, gleaming with mischief in the pale moonlight. “I’m not tired anymore,” she whispered softly, her eyes flashing hotly as she trailed a hand down his quivering stomach. “In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever been more awake.” She stopped right before her delicate fingers could graze where he was desperate for her touch, the edge of her bottom lip caught between her teeth.

Gold’s throat felt thick and despite the sheer amount of lust radiating off of his wife, emotion still choked him. “You’re so beautiful.” How he wished he could find the words to describe her beauty, the letters that she so loved to read, immortalized on parchment and in song, as Belle herself should be. She was a wonder, a goddess sent to walk along the realms. He wouldn’t dare say that she had been made to love him, but that somehow, due to some huge misunderstanding with Fate, she did.

Some of the heat flickered out of her eyes as she leaned down for a sweet kiss, her voice barely above a whisper. “And you’re gorgeous,” Belle ran her hand back up his chest, across his arm so she could intertwine their fingers. For a moment she just stared, the mood reigniting as she used their joined hands as leverage to properly straddle his waist. “When we’re together and I can feel you, above me and inside of me, surrounding me— _consuming_ me… Gods, Rumple. I can hardly stand the pleasure. It feels so good. You always feel so _good_.”

Her hips gave an experimental little rock and Gold groaned, using his hands to stop her. “I dreamed about this. While we were apart. In my dreams, I had you back and we were so happy, Belle. So happy and in love. I never thought—“

Another, sharper rock cut him off, a harsh moan ripping from his throat. A curtain of her fell over him as Belle leaned down again, her kiss bruising and demanding. When her tongue swiped over his bottom lip, Gold opened his mouth without hesitation. She was everywhere—her hands holding down his wrists as she plundered his mouth, the weight of her on top of him keeping him grounded. When she at last broke the kiss, their lips separated with a wet popping sound that made his head spin. “Me too, Rumple. I was so angry with you, but in my dreams…”

He’d more than earned her ire, but hearing it spoken aloud was like a bucket of ice water on his lust. Belle was a mortal, every beat of her heart a constant reminder of that. How many years had they wasted on his lies and deceit? How many of her precious heartbeats had he missed out on because of his own cowardly fears?

“I was a fool. A blind and selfish _fool_.” Her pregnancy should have been a happy time. They should have spent hours in bed, arguing over names and room decorations, whispering declarations of love to each other and their child. Instead, she’d been terrified of him—of what he’d become. The demon he had worked so hard to keep away from her had busted free from its cage, pulling and tugging on the strings of his fear and anger. Gold had scared her. Chased her. Trapped her. Threatened her. “Gods Belle, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry!”

“It wasn’t all your fault, Rumple.” A very different kind of darkness deeper into her eyes, the strong line of her jaw clenching tightly. “That monster played us. She manipulated my fears and made me turn away from you. I… I turned my back on us. I was so focused on my own pain that I was completely oblivious to yours. You were hurting, weren’t you sweetheart? And my leaving only made that pain worse. I should have talked to you.”

She was right, of course. He had been hurting, but that wasn’t an excuse. “You were in pain because of me. _I_ hurt you.”

“And I hurt you. I used the dagger to control you, I banished you. Can you forgive me?”

He didn’t have to think about it. “Of course. I love you.”

“I love you too. I love you, I forgive you and I want nothing more than a life with you.”

Belle reached for him at the same time he reached for her, their lips colliding in a messy kiss that promised everything. For every thump of her heartbeat against his chest, Gold’s own heart had an answering one. The heat between their bodies flared back to life and with an incomprehensible string of curses, Belle rubbed against him. Every single inch of their skin was touching, sweat making everything slick.

“I love you! I love you, Rumple. I love you and I know you love me, but right now I need you to show me. Show me how much you need me. Please, please…”

With a growl bordering on animalistic, Gold grabbed her thighs, feeling the slickness there from their combined sweat. Above him, Belle was moaning and nodding, her eyes cloudy with pleasure and need. All it took was one more breathy _please_ from her, and then he flipped them. From there it was a blur of movement, her high pitched cries in his ear and his own grunts echoing across the room. He shifted some of his weight to his bad leg, using the sharp stabs of pain as a ballast for the overwhelming pleasure. Belle’s head was pressed back against the pillow, her lips forming a perfect little ‘o’ before she slapped a hand over her mouth, muffling the sound of her scream. Gold brought her over the edge twice more before he could no longer hold back, losing himself to the pleasure.

“Oh Rumple…” Belle sighed, running the palm of her hands over his sweaty face. Her voice was hoarse and raw, and Gold took a second to feel pride at having pleased her so well. “That was amazing.”

“Mm. I agree.” Blinking hard to clear the white spots from his gaze, Gold looked down at her and smiled. Her lips were red and kiss swollen, her beautiful skin slick with sweat. There was a lovely blush in her cheeks from their shared exertion and her smile was nearly blinding. “You’re amazing.”

“Charmer,” Belle murmured softly, turning her hand to cup his cheek. Gold placed a long kiss to the center of her palm, letting his eyes flutter shut for just a moment. “Sometimes it scares me.” At his curious look, she swallowed harshly, her eyes filling with tears. “How much I love you. In moments like this— _especially_ moments like this—it scares me.” Her head tilted to the side, a small smile curving her lips. “I’m yours, Rumple. Come hell or high water, I’m yours.”

“My darling Belle, as flattered and awed as I am by that, you belong to no one. You are free to do and be whatever you desire, far too independent to be owned. You are the embodiment of bravery and beauty, kindness and compassion.”

“Independent enough to make my own decisions about my life?”

Gold moved from on top of her and lied down by her side. They were equals, in every way. “Yes, my love. More than capable of making your own decisions. Your future is decided by no one but you.”

“And if I want to be yours?” Belle challenged softly, turning over and propping herself up on her elbow. “If for all my independence and choices, I _want_ this part of me to be owned?” Gold gaped at her, completely speechless. In truth, she owned him. His heart and soul had been hers for years and he didn’t see that ever changing. Not that he wanted it to.

Sensing her victory, Belle grinned and settled herself against his chest again. “I’m tired now.”

Gold beamed senselessly at the ceiling. “Then sleep, my love.”

“And you’ll be here when I wake up? No sneaking out of our bed in the middle of the night?” Her voice quivered just a little and for the millionth time, Gold cursed himself. She deserved so much better than him. _But she chose me_. It didn’t make sense. It would never make sense, but he was done questioning it. Belle had made her decision and if she deserved better, then he was just going to have to try harder. For her and their son, he would do anything.

“I promise Belle, I won’t leave your side, might even take a nap myself.” After thinking for a moment, he quickly added, “Unless Gideon wakes up. But other than that, I won’t move.

Gold could feel her smile as she pressed one last kiss right above his heart. “I know you won’t. I trust you.” 


End file.
